NOT APPLICABLE.
The present invention generally relates to a process for decreasing skin irritation caused by the removal of hair from human skin. As a preliminary step to shaving, it is common practice to apply a shaving preparation to the skin, such as a shaving soap or the like in order to facilitate the shaving operation. This is done in order to lubricate the skin, thus enabling the razor to slide more easily over the skin, thereby decreasing its degree of irritation.
In some situations, however, the skin may not be adequately protected against irritation. Moreover, during the shaving operation most of the preparation is removed, thereby further enhancing the likelihood of skin irritation. Thus, it has been found to be advantageous to lubricate the skin immediately following the shaving operation.
One way of doing so is to apply an after-shave preparation in order to lubricate the skin. Another way involves providing the razor with a means for delivering a shaving enhancement composition or medium during the shaving process. Thus, it is known to provide a blade unit with a strip of material from which a lubricant is very gradually leached out during the shaving process. The benefits of both an after-shave preparation and lubricating strip on the razor have been well proven, but the active materials which can be incorporated in them is limited by the manufacturing process, and the rate at which the lubricant may be discharged, i.e., the rate may be so low that an effective preparation of the skin before shaving may still be needed.
The present invention is directed to a process for decreasing skin irritation caused shaving involving contacting skin with a chitosan compound having a molecular weight ranging from about 1,000 to about 25,000,000, and a particle size of from about 0.01 to about 50 microns.
NOT APPLICABLE.